In the first wave of American strikes on Iranian targets, released video footage shows a striking detail: a black Tomahawk cruise missile. The footage shows a vertical launch from a naval ship, followed by a rapid transition to low, horizontal flight over the sea.
The missile first rises straight up out of the deck, shrouded in a cloud of smoke and flames. A few seconds later the weapon tilts over and disappears at low altitude towards the horizon. The flight profile does not differ from what is known of the Tomahawk, but the dark colour and the silhouette immediately catch the eye.
Differently placed wings
What stands out in the video is the wing configuration. After launch they unfold along the fuselage. The placement looks different from older variants. That may be related to aerodynamic changes or to reducing the radar reflection.
The Tomahawk, officially the BGM-109 Tomahawk, has been the US Navy’s standard long-range weapon for land-attack missions for decades. The weapon is launched from the Mk 41 vertical launch system built into destroyers and cruisers.
A cruise missile differs from a ballistic missile. Instead of a high arcing flight through space, a cruise missile stays within the atmosphere and flies to its target at low altitude with a small jet engine.
Low flight, long range
Depending on the version, the Tomahawk has a range of roughly 1,300 to 1,600 kilometres. This allows naval ships to stay far off the coast while still hitting targets deep inland.
The low flight profile is essential. By flying a few dozen metres above the sea or terrain, the missile stays below the radar horizon of enemy air defences for longer. That significantly shortens the defenders’ reaction time.
Modern variants use a combination of inertial navigation and GPS. Inertial navigation works with gyroscopes and accelerometers that calculate position without external signals. In the terminal phase, the missile can verify the target using image recognition.
Black finish
The standard colour of older Tomahawk missiles is light grey. The black finish in the footage may indicate a modified coating. Such coatings can be aimed at reducing infrared or radar reflection.
Lower radar reflection means the object reflects less energy back to radar systems. That reduces the chance of early detection, especially in the initial phase of the flight.
The United States has modernised the Tomahawk in recent years. The Block IV and Block V versions have a data link, allowing the target to be changed during flight. In some cases they can also attack moving naval targets.
First wave of strikes
Cruise missiles are often used in the first hours of a conflict. They are intended to knock out air defence systems, command centres and radars before manned aircraft enter the airspace.
Iran has a layered air defence system with both domestic and imported systems. An attack with low-flying cruise missiles reduces the chance that those systems respond in time.
The footage shows a classic launch procedure. After the vertical launch, the missile turns onto the correct heading, after which the jet engine takes over from the launch booster. The plume of smoke above the deck points to a standard solid-fuel booster that pushes the missile out of the launch cell.
Strategic signal
The use of a possibly modified, dark-coloured Tomahawk points to the use of recent variants. The US Navy has hundreds of these missiles in stock and regularly uses them as a precision weapon in stand-off operations.
The combination of low flight, long range and accurate guidance makes the Tomahawk suitable for deep targets without aircraft having to enter heavily defended airspace.
The black missile in the footage underlines that the United States continues to invest in refining existing systems. In practice, this means a weapon that has been in use since the 1980s is still being adapted to modern threats and detection systems.
